Mobile County News

The U.S. Army Corps’ Mobile District published a “Market Research and Sources Sought Notice” seeking information on contractors for dredging within the boundaries of Sand Island Beneficial Use Area (SIBUA) in Mobile County, Ala.Note the ACE’s phrase here: this is a “sources sought synopsis,” not yet a solicitation. ACE uses this initial query to check availability of “potential qualified small business firms who own dredges capable of performing the work.” Responses are used to make upcoming acquisition decisions.

America’s largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday for its new Shipbuilder Academy site in Gulfport.Shipbuilder Academy was established in 2016 at Ingalls’ Maritime Training Academy with a mission to provide enrolled students with a strong foundation in the maritime industry and fill the current industry skills gap.Through a partnership with the Gulfport School District, Ingalls is expanding the program to a new site inside the repurposed Gaston Point Elementary School.“Ingalls has been a cornerstone of the Gulf Coast for more than 80 years, and we want to provide paths for hiring local talent,” said Brian Cuccias, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding.

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division hosted a signing day ceremony on Tuesday for the 2019 graduates of its Shipbuilder Academy program. Twenty-six high school seniors were offered full-time positions at Ingalls after successfully completing the specialized career technical education (CTE) program.“For more than 80 years, Ingalls has provided the families of our communities the opportunity to learn relevant job skills and build successful careers,” said George S. Jones, Ingalls’ vice president of operations. “Signing day is a continuation of that legacy.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it is working with local agencies to respond to a barge fire on the Mobile River near Mobile, Ala.Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report from Mobile County Fire Department that a barge carrying scrap metal caught fire at mile marker three on the Mobile River at approximately 10 a.m. on Sunday.According to Mobile Fire-Rescue, two linked barges carrying demolished/crushed cars are ablaze.No crewmembers were reported to be aboard the barges when they went up in flames, and there have been no reports of injuries or pollution.The barges are aground on the riverbank.Mobile County Fire Department is on scene conducting…

The trustees and BP have identified approximately $134 million in projects to be included in the next proposed phase of early restoration. This milestone comes five years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The 10 proposed projects would benefit sea turtles, birds and fish; increase recreational opportunities; and improve nearshore and reef habitats. It is anticipated that these projects will be included in a draft Phase IV Early Restoration Plan that will be made available for public review and comment.

Navy to occupy new office space by the end of October. This morning over 30 distinguished guests joined Austal and the Navy in celebrating the official opening of the new Navy Administration Building with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The guests were welcomed by Austal USA’s Senior Vice President of Operations, Craig Perciavalle. Other event participants included: Brian Leathers - Austal USA Interim President and CFO, Capt. Stephen W. Mitchell (USN) – Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Gulf Coast…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)  announced that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has awarded $70,500 in grants to 19 school districts and organizations in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The grants will be used by the districts for various science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects. "These STEM grants provide school districts with resources that math and science teachers can use to get students excited about solving hard problems," said Irwin F. Edenzon, president, Ingalls Shipbuilding. "Keeping up with and exploiting technology advancements, especially in shipbuilding, continues to be a critical part of how we meet our customer's needs. It will be even more important in the future.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) has awarded more than $1.8 million in Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) grants to the state of Alabama and to Mobile County, Ala. The grants will fund ongoing wetlands preservation, facility upgrades, and outreach initiatives for the state’s coastal areas. Created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, CIAP provides funding to the six Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas producing states to conserve and protect the coastal environment. CIAP is an ongoing program with grant funding that is allocated based on the offshore energy revenues collected by the United States.

The USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) will be commissioned June 4, 2011, at the Alabama State Port Authority Pier 2 Terminal in a ceremony co-hosted by the City of Pensacola and the City of Mobile. The commissioning was originally planned for NAS Pensacola as part of the celebration of the Centennial of Naval Aviation. Mobile offered to co-host the ceremony at the Port of Mobile after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the channel leading to the Pensacola base would not be dredged to an adequate depth in time for the commissioning. “The Navy is extremely selective about who can and should be approved to host such an event,” said Admiral Robert Kelly, USN (Ret), vice chairman of Armed Services for the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

Austal USA held a combined groundbreaking ceremony today, to celebrate the start of work on three new facilities including Phase 2 of the Modular Manufacturing Facility (MMF); a new office complex; and an additional waterfront Assembly Bay. The ceremony was held at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, where construction is underway on the U.S. Navy’s Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program. This event was attended by several notable dignitaries, including Alabama Governor Robert Bentley; Rear Admiral Joseph F.

W&O, supplier of marine valves, pipes, fittings, engineered products and valve automation solutions, announced that its Mobile, Ala. operations have relocated to a new 40,000 square-foot facility to meet the immediate and long-term needs of its rapidly growing business in the region. The new facility more than doubles available space from the previous location and provides increased efficiency for customers. Mobile’s strong economic climate combined with W&O’s industry expertise and innovative maritime solutions has helped the company increase its customer base and grow its revenue by more than 30 percent in the Mobile area, facilitating the expansion and relocation of Mobile operations.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has awarded five gulf coast school districts grants of $5k each to use for specific science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) projects. Each district will select a middle school within their district to implement and improve necessary STEM resources. "We are investing in a workforce and a community that has supported us for generations," Irwin F. Edenzon, sector vice president and general manager for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast, told the educators.

Following the official opening of the new ship construction facility last November, Austal USA today hosted a traditional US Navy keel-laying ceremony to signify the start of construction on the Navy’s new breed of surface combatant, the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Whilst the ceremonies have been updated to reflect modern ship construction techniques, Navy tradition dictates that each new ship for the service be honoured on four historic ceremonial occasions: keel-laying, christening (or launching), commissioning and decommissioning. The object of today’s ceremony is a component in the modular construction arrangement that will form part of a 127 metre aluminium trimaran capable of providing high speeds, multi-mission capability and superior aviation operations.

On November 17, Mobile, Alabama-based Austal USA celebrated the grand opening of its new construction facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This event took place just 11 months to the day after breaking ground on the project on January 17, 2005. Several notable VIPs participated in the ceremony, including: State of Alabama Director of Development Neal Wade, Mobile County Commission President Mike Dean, Mobile Mayor Sam Jones, John Rothwell (Austal Ltd. Executive Chairman), Greg Metcalf (CEO, Austal USA), Tom Bender (CEO, Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc.) and Henry Seawell (CEO, Thompson Engineering, the company that was contracted for the design and construction of the expansion).